ram vs proc riddle

[whoha]

Came lurking here yesterday to learn more about RAM before upping my 192MB Cas 3 PC133 SDRAM. Of course, yesterday I didn't KNOW what Cas 3 was, or that I had it. Thanks for a wealth of info here and in supplied links, and for thoughts that sent me to Google and beyond. Now I've read so much about RAM that I'm REALLY confused!

My original thought was to ADD a stick of cheap 128 or even 256. But you (all) have convinced me to forget cheap which means, not adding, but replacing my existing RAM with one or two sticks of...say....Crucial 256 Cas2 PC133 (my mobo supports 133 and BIOS allows Cas2 or 3).

My processor is a lowly Duron 750, but, hey, that was a giant leap a few months ago, from a P1@133! And, I still don't feel my rig is a slouch.

Checking Price Watch & Crucial's page, I came up with some interesting if "cutesy" numbers:

1 stick of Crucial 256MB RAM PC133 Cas 2 approx $64
2 sticks of Crucial 256MB RAM PC133 Cas 2 approx $128
1 Athlon @ 850 MHz approx $64
1 Athlon @ 1.3 GHz approx $128

So, one question is, how would you spend the following amounts:
$64?
$128?
$192?
$256?

Question #2...what is the "optimum" amount to spend? (Maxing at $256 might yield the max gain in performance, but could higher performance be gained by selling current rig and starting over?)

Performance gains that I'm interested in are in 1)recording video with ATI's Radeon AIW (nope, too late, I already have it), 2) recording multi-channel audio, and 3) web browsing.

Say, a too-long-winded post, but I hope you find it fun to ponder. With all this reading, I've gotten a little "philosophical" about it, but at the core, I really want to find the best, most econonical upgrade.

Gary S

Shuttle AK12
Cas 3 RAM 128 and 64
ATI Radeon All-in-Wonder video
Turtle Beach Santa Cruz audio
LAN for cable modem
DVD rom
CD RW

Cheers!

 

[Crashman]

I'd go for the 1333 over the 1300 for the Athlon if your motherboard supports the 133 (266 DDR) FSB. Then I'd wait on the memory until I had some more money. That's provided your Cas3 is PC133

Cast not thine pearls before the swine

 

[whoha]

Crashman
Going for the processor first was my thought, too. Ironic to me since super low memory prices were what led me to think about a low-cost performance boost in the first place!

The Shuttle AK-12 manual says:
-Supports AMD processor with 100 MHz DDR FSB
-Features VIA KT133 Chipset VT8363 with super south I?O bridge VT82C686B
-Soft-configure CPU speed...Freq/Voltage conntrol through BIOS
-Three DIMM banks of PC00/133 SDRAM and VCM SDRAM ...to 1.5 GB

How much difference would the 266 FSB make? This is the kind of thing I was thinking about when wondering if the best upgrade - as it often is - would be to sell and start over with a new mobo.

Thanks for your input...I will read up on FSB






Cheers!

 

[Crashman]

I don't think your motherboard fully supports the 133 (aka 266) FSB. I think you need the KT133A for that. You would be stuck with the Athlon B if this is correct. This is still a viable choice, as the chipset still supports a memory clock of 133 with a processor bus of 100. So the 1300 would be a good choice. It is still overclockable, and your chipset should support around 110-115MHz FSB.

Cast not thine pearls before the swine